Stoker conveyer



Dec. 31, 1946. w. T. HANNA STOKER CONVEYER Original Filed Jan. 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M'Zlz'am Z Hanna: BY @M AG/izv I ATTORNEY Dec. 31, 1946. w. T. HANNA STOKER CONVEYYER Original Filed Jan. l2, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR William I Hanna BY Dec. 31, 1946. w. 1'. HANNA STOKER 'CONVEYER' Original Fil'ed Jan. 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Wqll'aam Hanna BY Dec. 31, 1946. w. T. HANNA ,4 8

STOKER CONVEYER Original Filed Jag, 12; 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. HANNA l5 ATTQ QN E 5 Patented Dec. 31, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STOKER CONVEYER William Thompson Hanna, Cincinnati, Ohio Original application January 12, 1940, Serial No. 313,599, now Patent No. 2,351,959, dated June 20, 1944. Divided and this application December 29, 1942, Serial No. 470,439.

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to stokers and more particularly to those adapted for firing locomotives.

Stokers of this type have a conduit conveying system extending from beneath the coal bin on the locomotive tender up to the fire box of the locomotive. The discharge end of the conveying system terminates at the fire box and discharges coal through a firing opening into the fire box.

In such a stoker the conveying system between the hopper and the discharge end includes a cylindrical conduit system and a screw conveyer system operating in the conduit. It is important that the delivery end of the conduit, which extends up through the floor of the locomotive cab, take up as little room as possible in the cab. To this end the conveying system extending between the hopper and the fire box is frequently divided into universally joined sections, which sections lie at an angle to one another. The conveyer screw, in such circumstances, is made up in sections, joined by universal joints coincident with the universal joints joining the conduit sections. In this way the conveyer screw system may operate freely Within the angularly arranged conduit.

Also, since the locomotive and the tender are subject to angular as well as lengthwise displacement with respect to each other, provision must be made in the conveyer system extending between the hopper and the fire box for such displacement. To this end the conduit and conveyer sections are universally connected when required and provision is also made for elongation of the conveyer system.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved conveyer system.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a stoker conveying system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure Figure 4 is a detailed vertical longitudinal section of a modification;

Figures 5 and 6 are vertical, transverse sections taken respectively on lines 5-5 and, 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a detailed section taken on line 1l 2 of Figure l and showing a mouthpiece of the stoker adjusted to the left of the vertical medial plane of the stoker.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, part of a locomotive backhead I2 is shown, and grate bars ll inside the fire box are indicated. In the backhead is a firing opening I3.

Beneath the coal bin on the tender (and diagrammatically indicated) is located a hopper l. Coal is conveyed from the forward end of the hopper upwardly through a transfer conduit system generally indicated at 2 to distributing apparatus generally indicated at 3, and described more fully in my copending application, Serial No. 313,599, filed January 12, 1940, upon which U. S, Letters Patent, No. 2,351,959, were issued on June 20, 1944, of which this present application is a division. As will be described, coal is moved through the hopper and transfer conduit system by means of a series of screw conveyers suitably driven from a source of engine power includin an engine and reducing gear train located below the locomotive cab and generally indicated at M.

In the conveying system as shown coal moves through a hopper l, beneath the coal bin of the tender, to a downwardly extending discharge opening in the hopper, whence the coal passes through a downwardly extending throat to the rearward end of a transfer conduit I8. This conduit I8 extends upwardly and forwardly to an elevating conduit I 6 rigidly fixed to the locomotive. This conduit [6 discharges coal through the firing opening 13. The elevating conduit l6 extends upwardly through the cab floor at a relatively steep angle and so occupies little space within the locomotive cab. By arranging the transfer conduit l 8 in such a manner that it extends upwardly and forwardly from below the hopper to the elevating conduit, the angle between the conduit 13 and the elevating conduit It is reduced. And, as will be described, the efficiency of the transfer system is improved.

The transfer conduit 18 is so connected with the hopper that the conduit has both universal and longitudinal movement with respect to the hopper. The conduit I8 is connected with the elevating conduit It with a universal joint, generally indicated at 26. Within the conduits l8 and iii are mounted screw conveyers, respectively numbered 19 and H, which screw conveyers are universally joined at a joint, generally indicated at 2!, and through which joint the conveyer I9 drives the conveyer ll. As will be described, the rearward end of conveyer I9 is mounted on a short shaft 22 rotatably mounted on the end of the conduit l8 but fixed against axial movement with respect to the conduit. The conveyer i9 is driven through this shaft 22.

As described in the above-mentioned patent application, Serial No. 313,599, new U. S. Patent No. 2,351,959, the upper end of the elevating conduit section it terminates in a conduit section lfia, pivoted about an axis 5b, and which conduit section is provided with a mouth Etc. This section lea may be adjusted about axis iSb to offset the effect of the screw conveyer H to tend to feed more coal to one side of the fire .box than to the other side thereof.

The outer shell of the universal connection is fixed with respect to the locomotive and backhead by a frame construction 26 extending rearwardly from the locomotive backhead, so tha the riser conduit it has no angular or longitudinal motion with respect to the backhead. Since the conduit l3 is of a fixed length and has only angular and no axial movement with respect to the conduit l8, and since screw conveyer 19 has no axial movement with respect to the conduit E3, the universal joint 2! between the screw conveyers I! and 1-9 is always definitely located with respect to the universal joint 2!? between the conduits l6 and I3, and this location is chosen to obtain the most efficient operation of the universal connection 2|.

This construction provides for the most efficient operation of the conveyer screws within the transfer conduit system, and at the same time provides for the angular motion which necessarily is caused to take place between the conduits l6 and I8 by reason of motion between the locomotive and tender that results from going around curves or over uneven track beds.

Since the hopper l is rigidly mounted on the tender, longitudinal and universal movement is provided for between the hopper l and the rearward end .of the transfer conduit IS in the following manner:

Referring to Figure 2, the rearward end of the transfer conduit is carried by a saddle 2'! slidably mounted in channels 28 formed by upper and lower angle irons 29 and as secured to and extending inwardly from the tender frame 3!. With this construction the saddle 2'! is movable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the tender frame, and with respect to the tender hopper I and thus provides for longitudinal displacement between the rear end of conduit 58 and the hopper i.

To provide for universal movement between the saddle 2'! and the rearward end of the conduit IS, the saddle is provided with a downwardly depending apron 32 having internal spherically contoured surfaces 33. Likewise the rearward end of the conduit is has flange portions 34 having external spherically contoured surfaces receivable by the spherically contoured surfaces 33. In this manner the rearward end of the conduit is universally supported by the saddle 21. Overhanging flanges 35 are provided to keep the flange 34 riding in its seat.

The passage of coal from the hopper to the screw conveyer iii in the conduit i8 is provi ed for by means of a downwardly directed discharge port 36 provided at the delivery end of the hopper I which opens into an upwardly extending receiving throat formed by walls 37 extending an outwardly extending flange 39 adapted to slidably seat against a correspondin flange 40 extending outwardly from the discharge opening 36. The sealing collar is kept in sealing contactwith the discharge opening 35 by means of compression springs 4i between the flange 39 and a flange 42 provided around the top of the upwardly extending side walls 31. The

springs H ar maintained in position by suitable studs 43 threaded into and extending downwardly from the flange 39. This construction serves to provide sufficient free movement in all directions between the upwardly extending throat formed by the walls 37 and the downwardly extending discharge opening 36. The sealing collar serves to prevent the escape of dust and the entrance I of foreign material.

The short drive shaft 22 mounted in the conduit I8 and driving conveyer l9, has fixed on it a gear 25, which meshes with and is driven by a gear '84 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and housed within a housing 45, carried on the rearward end of conduit i3. The housing 45 is cut away to permit the gears id and 25 to mesh. The gear 4 is keyed to and supported by a drive shaft 46 rotatably supported in suitable journals 4? also carried on the rearward end of conduit i8. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the forward end of the shaft 46' has a yoke 58 universally connected to a telescoping floating drive shaft 49 driven by the reducing gear train and mounted in the locomotive. In this manner the drive shaft 46 is given free motion with respect to the power unit I 4.

The screw conveyer within the hopper i is driven in the usual manner from its rearward end by gears within the housing 58 which in turn are driven by a telescoping shaft 5i connected to and extending rearwardly from the drive shaft 46.

Referring to Figures 4;, 5, and 6, another form of universal connection is shown for locatin the rearward end of the conduit l8 beneath the hopper.

Referring .to Figure 4, the rearward end of the conduit I8 is provided with a flange 52 extending around the rearward end of the conduit, and is provided with a spherically contoured external surface 53. The forward end of the tender hopper is provided with a spout 5 3 opening downwardly and provided with an extension 55 having a spherically contoured inside surface 55 adapted to receive the spherically shaped surface .53 of the conduit l8. The extension 55 is broken at 5'! so that it may be separated to receive the spherically shaped surface 53.

Thereafter it is suitably bolted together.

A pin -58 extends inwardly from the lower portion of the extension 55 and rides in a slot 59 in the flange .52 to keep the conduit I8 properly The screw conveyer 19 at its rearward end is mounted in a suitable bearing 60 at the rear end of the conduit and is driven from its rearward end by a telescoping shaft 6 l as will be described.

The screw conveyer [9, as shown in Figure 4, is driven by the telescoping shaft 6| which, in turn, is universally connected to and driven by a shaft 62 located in a gear housing 63 and driven by a gear 64, see Figure 6. The gear 64 is driven by a gear 65 mounted on a shaft 66 suitably supported exteriorly of the tender hopper and driven by a telescoping shaft 51 extending forwardly to the power unit M. Th screw conveyer within the hopper is driven by a gear 68 which meshes with and is driven by the gear 65.

The bottom, rearward portion of the conduit [8 is cylindrically shaped inside the spherically contoured flange to provide efiicient coaction between the screw conveyer l9 and the interior of the conduit, to move fuel forwardly from the lower end of the conduit l8 as the coal is delivered thereto from the tender hopper without interfering with the universal action of the joint.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the comotive, the combination of a conduit section rigidly mounted on the locomotive, a conduit section rigidly mounted on the tender, a transfer conduit section intermediate said tender and locomotive sections, having its forward end universally connected with the rear end of said locomotive section and its rear end in offset relationship with the forward end of said tender section, and a delivery conduit section pivoted on the forward-end of said locomotive section and adapted for adjusted lateral displacement relative to the firebox to regulate the lateral distribution of the coal to the firebox.

2. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from said delivery opening and conveying it to the locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of the conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only with respect thereto, a saddle mounted on the tender and slidable horizontally with respect thereto, and means for mounting the rear end of the conduit section on the saddle to permit limited movement with respect thereto in all directions about a center lying on the axis of said conveyer screw,

3. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from said delivery opening'and conveying it to the locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of the conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only with respect thereto, a saddle mounted on the tender and slidable horizontally with respect thereto, bearing surfaces on said saddle constituting portions of a spherical surface, and complementary bearing surfaces on the rear portion of the conduit section engaging the first-mentioned bearing surfaces and constituting portions of a spherical surface having'its center on the axis of said conveyer screw,

4. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from said delivery opening and conveying it to the locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of the conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only with respect thereto, means for mounting the rear end of the conduit section on the tender in downwardly offset relation to the hopper and permitting limited movements of the conduit section relative to the hopper both longitudinally and about a center lying on the axis of said conveyer screw, and sealing means between said hopper delivery opening and the downwardly ofls'et rear end of said conduit section.

5. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from the delivery opening and conveying it to the locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of the conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only with respect thereto, means for mounting the rear end of said conduit section on the tender for longitudinal movement with respect thereto and also for relative movement about a center on the axis of said screw, and a resiliently pressed sealing collar interposed between the rear end of said conduit section and portions of the hopper adjacent the delivery opening.

6. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from said delivery opening and conveying it to the locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of said conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only with respect thereto, means for mounting the rear end of said conduit section on the tender for longitudinal movement with respect thereto and also for relative movement about a center on the axis of said screw, a sealing ring movably carried by said conduit section and having a horizontal flange engaging the hopper adjacent said delivery opening and a ver tical flange, a throat extending upwardly from the rear end of said conduit section and loosely receiving said vertical flange, and resilient means for pressing said horizontal flange toward the hopper.

7. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender and having a delivery opening, a conduit section for receiving coal from said delivery opening and conveying it tothe locomotive, a conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said conduit section and held against axial movement relative thereto, means for mounting the forward end of said conduit section on the locomotive for universal movement only'with respect thereto, a saddle mounted on the tender and slidable horizontally with respect thereto, bearing surfaces on said saddle constituting portions of a spherical surface, complementary bearing surfaces on the rear portion of said conduit section engaging the first-mentioned surfaces and constituting portions of a spherical surface having its center on the axis of said screw, a sealing ring movably carried by said conduit section and having a horizontal flange engaging the hopper adjacent said delivery opening and a vertical flange, a throat extending upwardly from the rear portion of said conduit section and loosely receiving said vertical flange, and resilient means for pressing said ring toward said hopper.

8. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender, an elevating conduit section fixed to the locomotive for delivering coal to the firebox thereof, a transfer conduit section for transferring coal from said hopper to said elevating conduit section, means for universally connecting the forward end of said transfer conduit section to. the rear end of said elevating conduit section, a saddle mounted 'on the tender and slidable horizontally with respect thereto, means for mounting the rear end of said transfer conduit section on said saddle to permit limited movement in all directions about a center, a transfer conveyer screw rotatably mounted in said transfer conduit section with its axis passing through said center and held against longitudinal displacement with respect thereto, and a conveyer screw in said elevating conduit section universally connected to and driven by the forward end of said transfer conveyer screw, the center of the universal connection between said conveyer screws coinciding with the center of the universal connection between said conduit sections, whereby said last-mentioned centers will remain coincident notwithstanding relative displacements of locomotive and tender in use.

9. In a locomotive stoker for conveying coal forwardly from a, locomotive tender to a firebox of the locomotive, the combination of a hopper fixed beneath the tender, an elevating conduit section fixed to said locomotive for delivering coal to the firebox thereof, a transfer conduit section for transferring coal from said hopper to said elevating conduit section, means for universally connecting the forward end of said transfer conduit section to said'elevating conduit section, a saddle slidably carried by said tender, said saddle having a spherically shaped bearing surface, a complementary spherically shaped bearing surface on the rearward end of said transfer conduit section cooperating therewith, said spherically shaped bearing surfaces permitting relative move ment therebetween about a center, a conveyer screw mounted in said transfer conduit section for rotational movement and held against longitudinal displacement with respect thereto, and a conveyer screw in said elevating conduit section universally connected to and driven by the forward end of said transfer conveyer screw, the mounting of said transfer conveyer screw being so constructed and arranged that'the universal cmectiml between said screw conveyers is held coincident with the universal connection between said conduit sections. r

10. In a locomotive stoker for conveying fuel forwardly from a tender to a firebox of the locomotive, in combination, a hopper located beneath the tender and having a curved, downwardly opening delivery spout, a screw conveyer in said hopper for moving fuel to said spout, a cylindrically shaped transfer conduit for delivering fuel forwardly from said delivery spout to the locomotive, said delivery spout and said transfer conduit being provided with male and female spherically shaped surfaces forming a universal connection therebetween, and a transfer screw conveyer Within said transfer conduit; part of said cylindrically shaped transfer conduit extending within said spherically shaped surfaces to provide a fuel support for said transfer screw conveyer to move fuel forwardly therethrough Within the working confines of said transfer screw conveyer.

11. A locomotive stoker comprising, in combination, a fuel receiving hopper means adapted to be supported by a tender, a fuel delivering means adapted to be supported by a locomotive to deliver fuel to the firebox thereof, a fuel transfer conduit, and a fuel transfer screw; said transfer conduit being located between said receiving hopper means and said delivering means, said transfer screw being located within said transfer conduit, said transfer conduit being movably connected to one of said means by a coupling comprising male and female spherically shaped surfaces having 'a common center lying in the axis of said screw, said transfer screw extending into the interior of said coupling past said center, and said transfer conduit also extending into the interior of said coupling to keep fuel passing into the coupling within the bite of said transfer screw.

12. In a stoker for coal firing a locomotive, a conduit and screw feed system for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the locomotive comprising, a hopper located beneath said tender, and having a downwardly opening delivery opening, a conveyer screw in said hopper for moving coal to said opening, a transfer conduit for receiving fuel from said opening and transferring it forwardly to the locomotive, means on said tender for mounting the rear ward end of said transfer conduit so that it may slide longitudinally and have limited movement about a center, a chute fixed to and extending upwardly from the rear end of said transfer conduit to a position beneath said delivery opening for receiving coal therefrom and sealing means received by said chute and spring pressed against the hopper wall bordering said delivery opening for preventing the escape of coal as it passes from said delivery opening to said chute.

13. In a stoker for coal firing a locomotive, a conduit and screw feed system for conveying coal from a locomotive tender to the firebox of the 10- comotive comprising, a hopper located beneath said tender and having a downwardly opening delivery opening, a conveyer screw in said hopper for moving coal to said opening, a transfer conduit for receiving fuel from said opening and transferring it forwardly to the locomotive, means on said tender for flexibly connecting the rearward end of said transfer conduit to the tender, a chute fixed to and extending upwardly from the rear end of said transfer conduit to a position beneath said delivery opening for receiving coal therefrom, sealing means received 10 with, a gear on said pinion shaft and a gear on the rear end of said transfer conveyer screw meshing with said gear, means for driving said pinion shaft and means for driving said hopper conveyer screw including a drive shaft driven from said pinion shaft.

WILLIAM THOMPSON HANNA. 

